Propeller



12, M. J. MORGAN PROPELLER Filed'Aug. 26, 1946 I) Sheets-Sheet l April 12, 1949.

M. J. MORGAN PROPELLER 4 Filed Aug. 26, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 62 MAM/c5 J Moea/w .A TTOENEY M. J. MORGAN PRCPELLER April 12, 1949.

Filed Au 26, 1946 a Shee ts-Sheet s IINVENTOR.

MAI/21c: J. MoeaA/v ATTOENEY Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROPELLER Maurice J. Morgan, Charlotte, N. C.

Application August 26, 1946, Serial No. 692,970

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to devices to propel fluids, such as air, water, and substances capable of flowing, which are employed for fans, pumps, boat propellers, wind mills, etc., and is particularly well adapted to rotary fans of the propeller type designed for ventilating, air blowing, air circulating and suction work against greater than atmospheric pressure or to produce substantial static pressures. This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending patent application, Serial No. 623,629, filed October 22, 1945, now abandoned.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fan blade made from one piece of sheet metal and so formed as to provide a cutting edge, a portion merging with the cutting edge beginning the impelling of the fluid and another portion merging with the second portion having a greater angularity than the second portion to finish the propelling of the fluid, the third portion being set at a much greater angle than the second portion to thus first cut the fluid with the leading edge, then start its movement, and then to greatly increase this movement of fluid by its engaging the third portion of the fan blade.

It is another object of this invention to provide a propelling mechanism having a plurality of blades formed from one piece of sheet metal and so bent as to produce a cutting edge, an initial accelerating portion for engaging the fluid to be propelled, and. a secondary propelling portion having angularity relative to the travel of the fan blade which greatly increases the acceleration of the fluid being engaged by the fan blade.

By providing a fan blade of this type, greater efficiency is provided in that a cutting edge is provided having very slight or no angularity relative to the line of travel, and this merges into a second portion which is inclined relative to the line of travel to begin the pushing of the fluid through which the blade is passing and this second portion merges with a third portion which greatly accelerates and finishes the propulsion of the fluid, thus providing a blade which is practically noiseless and which propels great volumes of fluid, such as air, without the consequential noise of the conventional fan blade.

A further object of this invention is a propeller having a hub portion and a plurality of blades stamped or otherwise formed from a single piece of metal in such a manner that the bends necessary in shaping the blades create reinforcement angles which give it maximum rigidity without further reinforcement, regardless of size.

A further object is a propeller that affords perfect balance of its opposite blades from center.

A further object isa propeller with angles affording such rigidity and reinforcement that it is possible to use much lighter metal, resulting in a more efiicient propeller and a saving in material.

A further object is a propeller which affords a long gradual cut of the fluid it is moving by means of two graduated angles on each blade from the intake edge of the propeller to the discharge edge, making possible a greater depth from the intake edge to the discharge edge, moving more fluid noiselessly, regardless of speed and with less power and expense than is required in more commonly known propellers designed to bat the fluid through, regardless of noise or cost.

A further object is a propeller with an even flow of fluid across its entire intake edge with no dead spots, back-lash, or the resultant hissing noise common in other propellers.

A further object is a propeller which, after stamping or otherwise forming, requires only one point to be spot welded or otherwise fastened in place to complete its assembly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a propeller, which can be stamped from one piece of metal and bent to shape with common means for securing the proximate ends of the trailing edges of the 'blade portions together, the blades of the propeller being bent along well defined lines to change the angularity of the various portions in contrast to a gradual curving or increasing of angularity of the blades as is conventional in fans or propellers presently used.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fan blade and showing it mounted in a suitable frame;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 in Figure 1, and showing the fan and its mounting in elevation;

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the fan blade blank before it is bent into finished form, and showing bearings H and l2 in position, though it is preferable to place these bearings after the fan is finished;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a modified form of;

fan blades showing them installed in a frame, the frame being shown in section;

Figure 5 is a flat blank showing it out ready for bending into a multiple bladedpropeller or fan;

ing a diiie'renttype' of propeller having fourblades instead of three;

Figure 10 is a view of a flat piece of sheet metal out ready for bending into a four bladed pro-- peller;

Figure 11 is a View showing the finishedpro peller formed from the blank Ill;

Figure 12 is a View of the member employed for joining the trailing edges of the various blades together to form a hub member;

Figure--13. is a view of a washer which is spotwelded on the exterior of member" 1 2 to strengthen the hub :portion.

Figure 14 is a detailed view in section showing means for mounting the propeller on its shaft.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the

numeral- Ill indicates a piece of sheet metal cut. to the propershape and provided with bearing members H and I2 suitably-secured to portions thereof by welding; The bearings I! and lfl -are preferablyzsecurecl to the fan' after it has been benttdshape The-piece ofsheet metal I0 is slotted as at l3 and I4 and-then: theouter portions of the piece of sheet-metal are bent slightlyalongrthe lines l5- and 16, and-thenthese two outer port-ions are again bent along the lines l1 and I8, thus, providing cutting edge portions I9- and .2 B r and. slightly inclined accelerating portions 2| andZZ, and portionsof greater angularityifor increasing the. accelerationofthe-fluid as indicated at and 26.

The -portions 25 and 26 are then bent along the Iines-ZLand -28, and these portions 21 and!!! arelapped over eachotherand secured together by welding, riveting and the like. It is,-of course,

understood that the central portion of the sheet metal which is covered'by the bearing portions H and I2.have suitable holes therethrough such 7 as hole 30 shown in Figure 3.

The fanthus formed is now ready for mounting onasuitable shaft l by any suitable means such as a set screw- 36. Theshaft 35 can be" mounted in any suitable way such as in bearings 3'! and 38;,thebearing 38 being on a suitable e, bracket liif'whereas. theibearing a'l is suitably mounted on a cross strut M disposed in a, suitable framework lZmadeofangle ironed If desired,-a I piece -of sheetvmetal 43 can be secured within. the framework 42 and having an opening i ithrough which. air-is drawn by the fan when it is expelled vfrom a room,. for example, when the device is used as a ventilating .fan. i

The shaft Eamaybedriven directly, that is, it

maybe an extension of the motor shaft of a suitable electric motonbut-I prefer to drive it a lower rate of speed than the ordinary rate of speed of the :conventionalfractional horse power electric motorcand, thus, I provide a, pulley il fixed on the shaft 35 with a belt 48 also mounted on a pulley 49 on a motor shaft 50 of a suitable-elec-v tric motor-5 l InfFiguresA to'8, inclusive, av slightly modified 1 form of the invention is shown in whicha three a bladed propeller is cut from :a single blank piece, of material and foldedand. secured in position to i provide -a propeller whose blades have a leading edge with little or no angularity with respect to a plane passing at right angles through the shaft on which the propeller is mounted.

In this form of invention a suitable framework 55 is provided having an opening 56 therethrough and having as a portion thereof a girt 51 supporting bearings 58 in which a shaft 59 is mounted and on which the propeller is secured. This shaft 59 has a pulley 68 secured thereon and a V-belt Si is mounted on this pulley and on a pulley 62 disposed on a motor shaft 63 of an electric motor fid which is connected by means, not shown, to anysuitable source of electrical energy.

The propeller is formed from a flat circular piece of material indicated broadly by 65, three substantially triangular portions cut away along the lines $5, 6?, 68 and 69, i0, and H, and discarded;

The cut line 5'! extends inwardly to point a and where it stops. to point e and a cut line '13 extends outwardly to point d. The cut line ll extends inwardly to point-e, then out line '14 extends outwardly. to point f. The cut lines 66, 68' and 19 extend to the'cut lines fil, 69 and H, and stop.

The three fan blades are indicated by reference characters G, H, and I, and each of these ,bladesis adapted to be bent along the dotted lines l5, 76, Ti, and F8. The leading edge is first bent away from the observer in Figure 5 along the dotted line l5, leaving that portion of the blank between the lines 15 and "i6 occupying a plane bisecting the shaft on which the propeller is mounted at substantially right angles.

The portion of the blank trailing. from line 16 i then bent forwardly towards the observer along line '16. I Then the portion of each of the blades trailing from line H is bent further forwardly at a steeper angle than that portion occurring between lines 16 and TI. Then the extremetrailing edge of each of the blades between the lines 18 and 65, between 18 and 68, and between 18 and TB is bent away from the observer along line 78 to where it occupies a plane substantially para collar 19 which may have a set screw therein for securing that portion of the propeller to the shaft 59.

In'order to reinforce and strengthen the outer portions of the blades of the propeller, especially when the blank is of rather thin sheet metal, there is provided a member 80 having a hole 8| thei'ethrough adapted to fit over the outer end of the shaft 59... This memberBD has three out-v.

wardly projecting portions extending therefrom which are adapted to be bent away from the observer along the dotted line 82 in Figure 7 leaving tabs 83 which are adapted to be riveted orv spot welded to sloping surface of each bladeioca curring adjacent to line liland between line 18 and TI. The unbent portion of these three projections trailing behind dotted line 82 is adapted.

to be spot welded or riveted to the. planar-portions of the three blades occurring between the) lines 18 and 66.

If desired there mayv berspotr weldedtoathei.

exterior surface of hub portion of member 89 a washer 84. The outer end of the shaft 59 is preferably shouldered and has a restricted threaded portion 86 over which the members 89 and washer 84are adapted to fit and a suitable nut 81 may be threadably secured on the outer restricted end 96 of the shaft 59 to further secure the propeller to the shaft 59.

In Figures 9 to 13, inclusive, a second modified form of the invention is shown, which is very similar to the other forms, except that four blades are cut from a single flat piece of blank material. This piece of blank material, after it has been cut, is indicated by reference character 99. The blank is cut along lines 9|, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 91 and 98 to remove material from four portions thereof to form the gaps appearing between 92 and 93 and between 94 and 95 and 99 and 91 and 98 and 9|. The blank also is out along the lines 99, I99, WI and I92, these last-named cut lines merging with the cut lines 93, 95, 9'! and 9|, respectively.

The blanks are now ready to be bent along the dotted lines I93, I94, I95, and I96 for each of the four blades designated by K, L, M and N. All of the four blades are first bent along the dotted line I93 to cause that portion between line I93 and 9| to be bent or pushed away from the observer in Figure 10. Then each of the blades is bent forwardly along the dotted line I94, which causes that blade to separate from the blank along the cut lines 93 and 99, that is, for the first blade K, whereas the blade L will separate from the blank along the lines 95 and I99 and blade M will separate from its adjacent blade or along the lines 91 and I9I likewise, blade N will separate along lines 9| and I92. This will cause blade K to separate from its adjacent blade L along the cut lines 93 and 99 and when blade L is bent fonwardly, it will cause it to separate from the adjacent blade M along the cut lines 95 and I99 and when blade M is bent forwardly, it will cause it to separate from its adjacent blade N along the lines 91 and I9I and when blade N is bent forwardly, it will cause it to separate from blade K along the line 9| and I92.

Then each blade has its trailing portion bent further forwardly at a steeper angle along the line I95 ,at a greater angle than the portion between lines I94 and I95 occupied with relation to the portion between lines I93 and I94, which remain in a plane bisecting the axis of the propeller at right angles. Then the extreme trailing edges of each of the blades is bent away from the observer along the dotted line I96, whereby that portion between line I96 and line 92 will occupy a plane substantially parallel to the plane occupied by the leading edge portions of the fan occurring between lines I93 and I94.

It is, of course, desirable to connect the trailing edges of the blades together at their proximate ends to reinforce the same and make a sturdier fan, unless it was made out of very heavy material, which would not necessitate joining the trailing edges of the propeller together to form a hub portion. However, it is preferable to provide a member II9 having slits cut therein indicated by bold lines H8 in Figure 12. This provides arms III, H2, H3 and H4. These arms are adapted to be bent along the dotted lines II5 to provide tabs H5, which are adapted to be riveted or spot welded to the sloping surfaces of the blades occurring between the lines I95 and I96. The flat portions II2 to H4, inclusive, are adapted to be riveted or spot welded to the planar 6. portions or the extreme trailing edges of the fan blades occurring between the lines I96 and 92, I99 and 94, I96 and 99, and I99 and 98, respectively. Member II9 has a suitable hole II'I therein, which is adapted to fit over restricted portion 86 of the shaft 59, and also has a washer 84 spot welded thereto and a nut 81 can be secured on the threaded portion 86 to secure the propeller on its shaft. If desired, a collar I29 can be spot Welded to the back portion of the blade or propeller and have a set screw I2I therein for additionally securing the propeller to the shaft.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A propeller having a pair of blades, each blade comprising a leading edge portion disposed in a plane bisecting the axis of the propeller at right angles, each blade having an outwardly extending and substantially planar second portion joined to the rear edge of its leading edge portion, each blade having a further outwardly extending planar third portion bent along a line substantially at right angles to a radius line extending through the leading edge portion, the third portion of each blade at its trailing edge having a portion bent rearwardly and occupying a plane parallel to the plane of the leading edge portion, the proximate ends of the trailing edges of the blades being secured to each other.

2. A propeller having a plurality of blades and provided with centrally disposed means for mounting the same on a suitable shaft along the axis of the propeller, each blade having a leading edge portion disposed at right angles to the axis and extending in a plane which is disposed at right angles to the axis, the leading edge portions each having integral therewith a second portion bent along a line substantially parallel to the radius line extending from the axis, and a third portion bent along a line substantially at right angles to the first bent line, and means connecting the trailing edges of said third portions together at the proximate ends.

3. A propeller comprising a plurality of blades, all out from a single piece of blank material and left integral with each other, each blade having a leading edge portion, a second portion bent outwardly along a greater cutting angle than the leading edge portion and having a third portion bent along a line substantially at right angles to the line along which the second portion is cent with relation to the leading edge portion and extending outwardly at a greater angle to the line of travel of the propeller than angle of the second portion.

4. A propeller having three blades and provided with centrally disposed means for mounting the same on a suitable shaft along the axis of the propeller, each blade having a leading edge portion disposed at right angles to the axis and extending in a plane which is disposed at right angles to the axis, the leading edge portions having integral therewith a second portion bent along a line substantially parallel to the radius line extending from the axis, and a third portion bent along a line substantially at right angles to the first bent line, and means connecting the trailing edges of said third portions together at their proximate ends.

a 5. A-propeller having .four blades and each blade comprising alleading edge portion disposed in- -a plane bisecting the axis of the propeller at right angles, each blade having a second portion extending from the rear edge of the leading edge portion and bent angularly outward, the rear por-- tion of-the second portion having joined thereto the. front edge of a third portion along a line substantially at right angles to the line passing through the longitudinal centers of the leading edge portions, said third portions extending outwardly at an obtuseangle with relation to the second portion, and hub means connecting the proximate ends of the said third portion together. 6. A propeller comprising four blades all cut from a single piece of blank material and left integral With each other, each blade having a leading edge portion, a second portion bent outwardly along a greater cutting angle than the leading edge portion and having a third portion REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,917 Barney June 22, 1897 1,980,614 Davy Nov. 13, 1934 2,170,865 Lampton Aug. 29, 1939 2,226,050 Lampton Dec. 16, 1941 2,394,445 Handler Feb. 5, 1946 2,394,446 Handler Feb. 5, 1946 

